The Long Job: Muir
by Morwen Tindomerel
Summary: Serenity stops on Muir to peddle the cannon picked up from the Diehards. Episode II of 'The Long Job'.
1. Muir

"Ya don't mean yer going to sell my Blossoms!" Jayne wailed.

"If by that you mean those cannon I most assuredly am." Mal answered. Then: "Blossoms?"

"Appleblossom, Peachblossom, Cherryblossom and Plumblossom." Jayne answered pointing at the articles in question.

The cannon lay in a neat row on the cargo hold deck with Mal on one side, Jayne near tears on the other, Zoe behind her Captain trying hard not to laugh and an interested audience consisting of River and Margot watching from the catwalk.

"But why?" Jayne moaned.

"Armaments would attract the wrong kind of attention to us." Mal returned. "We get enough of that as is."

"Yeah, but the next time you take on a bar full of Unifiers Wash wouldn't have to bluff to get us outta it."

"There is that, sir." said Zoe.

Mal shot her a 'whose-side-are-you-on?' look, turned back to his all but blubbering merc. "We're selling them, Jayne and that's final. So say your good-byes." he spun on his heel heading for the ramp. "Zoe."

She followed, still fighting that grin.

River got up from next to Margot and floated down the stairs to slip her little hand into Jayne's big one. "Poor Jayne," she said kindly, "but you still have Vera and Alice and Trudy and all the rest." He looked down at her uncertainly. She smiled back up; "Why don't we clean your guns, you know how that always cheers you up."

Jayne gave the cannon one last, sorrowful look then let himself be towed away.

Rick's Place looked like every other dock front dive, all metal and grease and somewhat darksome. Mal and Zoe picked themselves a table and sat down to wait for their contact. A screen hanging from the ceiling was spouting a news report; the Armstrong had caught up with the Diehards with predictable results.

Mal grimaced and picked up his drink for a big gulp.

Zoe gave him a tilt-headed look. "Sir?"

"Say what you like turning in our own leaves a bad taste."

"Those folk weren't our own, sir, Margot was dead right about that."

"Yeah, well Margot ain't no Independent."

Zoe looked thoughtful. "Wouldn't be too sure if I were you, sir."

Mal frowned. "What makes you say that?"

She shrugged. "Just some remarks made over the past weeks, nothing you can really put a finger on. But I'd strongly recommend you don't make any assumption at all about that lady."

Margot and Inara, looking elegant as usual, came into the living quarters to find Jayne moodily stripping and cleaning his beloved Vera, the rest of his sizeable collection spread out on the table awaiting their turns. River was also at the table curiously examining a tiny, deadly little dart thrower.

"Leave that be." Jayne snapped at her. "Nobody ever tell you not to touch a man's weapons?"

Margot smiled. "Do I detect a double entendre?"

River returned it brightly. "Not intentionally."

"Double what?" Jayne asked blankly.

"Entendre." Margot replied. "Meaning a comment that has two meanings; one innocent, one sexual."

Jayne's frown turned thunderous and a hint of color darkened his cheeks. "Didn't say anything about sexing!"

"Course he didn't. Our Jayne's a gentleman he is." Kaylee said blithely coming out of the forward passage all gussied up in her new sari, beaded purse in hand.

River beamed at him. "Jayne's nice."

Kaylee's eyebrows took a leap upward. "Nice is he? Must be suffering from cabin fever lil' genius. Why don't you come along with us and get some air?"

"Yeah, get outta here and let me work in peace." Jayne grunted.

River's smile didn't falter. "Okay, I'll go." she got up showing that she too was wearing her new dress. "I'll get my shoes." She patted Jayne's shoulder in passing and leaned to whisper in his ear. "You're nice." before skipping out leaving the merc glaring after her and Inara and Kaylee grinning at the look on his face.

Margot smiled indulgently, rumpled his hair and dropped a motherly kiss on the top of his head on her way out after River. "Oh Jayne's just a big, grungy huggy bear!"

The other two women laughed out loud as they followed, leaving an outraged Jayne trying to rub the kiss off and shouting; "I ain't no huggy bear!" after them.

"Four? You only got four?" the ratty little man in the unbelievably garish green and orange tweed suit sounded downright incredulous.

"Enough to arm a good sized boat." Mal retorted, his mood not at all improved.

"If you're not interested we can peddle them ourselves." Zoe said, starting to rise.

Tweed suit made sitting motions. "Didn't say that, just surprised is all. I'm used to bigger consignments."

Zoe settled back in her chair. "If you're going to make an offer, spit it out."

"A hundred apiece."

"If that's a joke I'm not laughing." this time Mal started to rise.

"Will you just sit still?" tweed suit demanded/pleaded. He thought for a moment. "Okay, tell you what I'm gonna do; give me a day or so to shop around, I'll find me a buyer and give you sixty percent of the take."

"Seventy-five." said Mal.

Tweed suit bristled. "Hey, I'm the one taking all the risk here."

"Seventy." said Mal, not visibly moved.

"Thirty percent's a fair profit." said Zoe.

The suit looked from one stony face to the other and folded. "Okay, seventy it is." he stood up. "I'll wave you when I've got a nibble."

"Two days, then we try somebody else." Mal warned.

Tweed suit didn't seem entirely oppressed by the threat. He just tossed off the remainder of his drink and walked away.

Mal punched code for a refill. "That went well."

Zoe wasn't as convinced. "Might have been better to do the peddling ourselves."

"Too risky." Mal picked up his glass. "No telling if they can trace those guns back to the Diehards. If so sale'll set off some alarms in quarters we don't want to deal with."

"True." Zoe got up. "Well I got me a husband to meet. You going back to the boat, sir?"

"No hurry 'bout it." Mal lounged back in his chair. "May just stay here for a bit and soak up the atmosphere."

Zoe snorted a little. "Well...don't do anything I wouldn't do."

He gave her a look of hurt innocence. "If by that you mean don't tear the place apart and get hauled to the local hoosegow, I resent the implication."

"Was kinda what I had in mind. You do seem to attract trouble, sir."

"Noticed that myself." Mal agreed ruefully. "Go pleasure yourself with your husband, Zoe. I'll be a good little boy, I promise."

Zoe gave another 'that'll-be-the-day' snort and headed for the door.

The Oda was long and narrow, lit by colored lanterns swinging from the tented ceiling and scented with imitation sandalwood incense. A massive teak bar stretched the length of one wall, the other was lined by a row of curtained and canopied booths.

"Ooh, classy." Kaylee breathed, impressed.

Behind her back Inara and Margot exchanged a look, half amused and half sad. 'Classy' was not a word either would have applied to the Oda. It was however several cuts above the dirty dockside dives Kaylee was used to and the kind of place she and River could wear their new finery without standing out like a pair of novas.

They found themselves a booth and settled on poofy, syth-satin covered cushions around a low table with imitation marble mosaic top. A bulky, bare chested waiter wearing white harem pants, crimson cummerbund and a green turban appeared to take their orders.

"Real waiters and everything." Kaylee whispered wide-eyed after the man'd left.

"Oda, old Turkish: private room in a harem." said River.

"Hence the decor." Margot agreed.

"It's beautiful, just like your shuttle, Inara." Kaylee declared, happily stroking the faux silk of the brocaded hangings.

"Much the same concept." the Companion conceded. She knew Kaylee meant no insult and, uncultured Border world girl that she was, could see no difference between Inara's carefully chosen, exquisitely genuine pieces and the gimcrack imitations around them.

The waiter returned with a fret rimmed brass tray, big as their table top, loaded with a brass coffee pot exhaling a smell of cinnamon, little cups and dishes of fancy sweets.

"Ooh. Elegant!" said Kaylee.


	2. Girl's Day Out

"My brother is too stupid to live."

"River!" Kaylee forgot to quirk her finger, cup midway to lips. "What a thing to say."

"True thing." Simon's sister said grimly.

Kaylee looked into her coffee. "If he's not interested -"

"Oh he's interested!" Inara and Margot said together.

"He is?" Kaylee wondered, half hopeful, half doubtful.

"Very much so." Inara said with certainty. "That's what makes him so inept - I suspect he hasn't much experience with women."

"Never had a girlfriend in his life." said River.

Kaylee blinked. "You're kidding. You mean he's - he's -"

"Virgin." said River calmly. "Gonna have to teach him."

Oh!" Kaylee stared big eyed into the middle distance absorbing that. "Never been a man's first."

"Osiris is a fairly straight laced culture in such matters." Margot told her. "Casual sex is strongly discouraged and permanent bonding the rule. Becoming Simon's first could mean being his last. Might want to consider if you're ready for that kind of commitment."

Kaylee's eyes got even rounder. "Oh!" she lapsed into thought.

"I want Jayne." River said suddenly, almost defiantly.

Inara and Kaylee stared, cup and sweet midway to mouths, but Margot merely pursed her lips. "I admire your taste, little one, Jayne Cobb is a mighty fine hunk of manhood."

River glowed. "He's good at sex too."

Kaylee turned bright red and clamped her mouth firmly shut. Inara choked, oddly as she hadn't yet taken a bite of her sweet.

Margot's eyebrows rose, one higher than the other. "Can't always trust a man's word on that subject, sweetheart."

"The whore at the Heart of Gold said the same." River answered. "She said I'd be lucky to have him."

Margot's head tilted. "Just after a tumble are we?"

River's smile went. "No, not just that. I like Jayne. He's simple."

The mixture of laughter and horror went out of Inara and Kaylee's faces and they listened as soberly as Margot as River continued:

"Not simple-stupid, he's a lot smarter than even he thinks, open-simple. Most people are like origami," her hands made a twisting gesture, "lots of faces, some hidden. Jayne's like a smooth sheet of paper, all there to see. Not all admirable but all in the light, no hidden darknesses."

Margot nodded. "I'd agree with that assessment. In fact that's the thing I like best about men of his kind myself. So - think he's interested in you?"

That brought the glow back. "Oh yes. Sure of it now. I stir him up and disturb him, just like Zoe said about Wash and her." a tender smile crossed River's face. "He doesn't like it."

Inara and Kaylee exchanged an uneasy glance, suddenly seeing Jayne's snarling ways towards and about River in a new light.

"I see that." Margot said thoughtfully. "Men like our Jayne tend to have spots of decency. Sexing a virgin girl, 'specially one that's not all there, could be one of them."

Inara looked uncertain but Kaylee bit her lip knowing the merc's obscure decent side better than anybody.

River's face turned tragic. "I know. I know I'm not good for him - not now." determination gleamed in her eye and hardened her mouth. "But I'm getting better - I will get better! And when I am I'll make him see me as a woman, not a virgin girl."

"Honey," Inara said gently, "he might not be good for you."

But River just shook her head. "He's perfect." she said with certainty. "Strong and mean, able to protect me. Wanting me, even if he won't admit it. Perfect."

Kaylee was trying to decide whether to be horrified or not. Margot said tranquilly. "Well you got time, River, time for second thoughts if you're going to have them." she twinkled at both girls. "The men you've picked might take a bit of work but I don't doubt you'll get them in the end. Women most always do."

Now it was Inara's turn to bit her lip and stare at her plate as the two girls glowed.

Jayne had gotten down to his pair of big bore handguns, Isobel and Bessie, when Simon walked into the living area, forehead creased with worry. "I can't find River anywhere."

"Went out." Jayne said not lifting eyes from his work.

"What!"

The volume of Simon's cry, almost shriek, finally made him look up. "I said she went out. With Kaylee, Inara and Margot."

"But - But - it's not safe!" Simon stuttered.

"Don't be any dumber than you are." Jayne said calmly, returning his attention to Bessie. "She's with respectable company in respectable parts of town. Bounty hunters don't hang out in the kind of places classy ladies favor."

What looked like the entire crew of a mid-sized passenger ship poured into the Oda, gussied up in the fancy dress uniforms favored by want-to-be classy shipping lines, all liquored up and looking for women or - in a few cases - men.

Inara reached over and pulled a tasseled cord, shutting the drapes of their booth and enclosing them in a faux silk tent. "Thought so," she said, "this place must be a house of assignation."

"A house of what?" Kaylee asked.

"A place for professional women to meet clients." Inara explained.

"You mean like Companions?"

Both Inara and Margot shook their heads. "No, not Companions, but a higher class of whore then you find trolling the docks." said the latter.

Their curtains were yanked open to frame a slightly weaving figure his fancy uniform very much the worse for wear. A leer broke over his face. "Lookee what I found." a several more men in similar condition crowded in behind him. "Well don't you ladies just look good enough to eat. And just waiting to comfort some lonely spacemen down from the Black."

"We're not looking for clients, thank you." Inara said firmly.

The leer turned to a frown. "What'd'ya mean?"

"I mean we're not interested." Inara said even more firmly. "That's why our booth was closed. Now please leave."

Now the man's face turned red and ugly, the ruebens behind him muttered and crowded closer. "Fancy ladies think they're too good for us, do they!"

Margot rose to her feet, somehow managing to loom menacingly even though she was several inches shorter than the man facing her, cold gray eyes fixed like targeting beams on his face. "What part of 'not interested' didn't you understand?" she rumbled, voice low and threatening.

Man took a step back, colliding with those behind him.

One of the big 'waiters' chose that moment to appear. "These men bothering you ladies?"

Margot shook her head fractionally, eyes still fixed gimlet-like on the leader. "A little misunderstanding. They were just leaving."

And that might well have ended it, if the rueben nearest the waiter hadn't pulled a knife and slashed. The waiter jumped back, just in time, but Margot broke her stare at the glimpse of steel and her subject, regaining his nerve, grabbed River's arm hauling her to her feet.

River screamed. Kaylee overturned the table as she launched herself across it, driving a tiny fist into the man's belly, well below the beltline. He doubled over. River wriggled free. A rueben reached for Kaylee and was blocked by Inara's arm as she kicked him hard in the knee. The crack was clearly audible above the oriental muzak.

Meantime Margot'd produced a pair of trident shaped sai from her flowing sleeves and gone for the knife-wielder. She caught his wild slash expertly between the prongs of one sai and gave a twist that snapped his blade while reversing the other to drive the grip into the junction of neck and jaw.

Waiters and snooty-ship ruebens converged on the scene and the fight spread. Inara launched a spin kick, taking out two men. Kaylee, the light of battle gleaming in her eye, went after a third. Margot was fighting with another rueben who'd drawn steel. This one had more skill than the first and was giving her problems.

The waiters, badly outnumbered, were taking a lot of punishment. Luckily they seemed more than able to absorb it as they grappled with the crewmen, using wrestling holds and throws with the expertise of long training.

Booths shook and collapsed as the fight surged around them. Whores, mostly female, screamed, fought their way free of the tangling curtains and fled, or tried to, along with their clients.

River stood in the middle of it all. Wide eyed, not knowing what way to turn. Inara, Kaylee and Margot were all to absorbed to take care of her. Somebody grabbed her shoulders and she screamed.

"Easy, missee." it was one of the waiters. "Get under cover." he pulled her to the bar and shoved her behind it. "Here, keep your head down." he told her then spun away to charge, bull-like, back into the fray.

River crawled into the space beneath the racks of bottles, and curled herself into a ball, eyes tightly closed, wincing and flinching at the crashes, shouts and shrieks from the other side of the sheltering teak.


	3. Girls Gone Wild

Malcolm Reynolds was not drunk. Relaxed certainly, maybe even ever so slightly elevated, but not drunk. Having settled that point to his satisfaction Mal jumped off the rail fence enclosing a dozen or so fine blood horses, beamed a smile at the outraged handlers, and sauntered on his way.

Jayne and Simon both met him in the cargo hold. "Good, you're back." said the former. "I'm going to get sexed." he glanced at the Doctor. "Maybe you should tag along, take your mind off lil' crazy."

Simon glared. "No thank you!"

"Mmm." Jayne frowned in mock concern. "You know, Doc, you've been aboard nigh on a year now and ain't had any in all that time. I figure you must be right ready to explode by now - what'd you think, Mal?"

"I think you'd best be on your way." the Captain answered, eyeing his medic's crimson face.

"You're no better." Jayne told him. "A good bout of sexin' would do both of you a world of good. And I know a couple of gals who'd be happy to oblige not so far distant."

Now Mal was as red as Simon. "Get out of here!"

"Just trying to help." Jayne sauntered down the ramp.

"Captain, I'm worried about River."

Mal turned from glaring after his merc. "What she done?"

"She's missing."

"Missing!" a jolt of alarm dissipated the last of Mal's pleasant alcoholic buzz.

"According to Jayne she went groundside with Kaylee, Inara and Margot." Simon worried on. "They've been gone hours now -"

"'Course they have!" Mal snapped, relieved and mad at Simon for scaring him. "They got shops here full of pretties, tearooms, fancy resturants and the like. No doubt our girls are having themselves a real good time. Nice of them to include lil' sister."

"But -"

Mal gathered patience. "Look here, Doc. I know how devoted you are to River, and think it right touching, but you cluck over that girl like a setting hen. Inara and Kaylee won't let any harm come to her. Just ease back and let her have some fun for a change."

A pair of huge brown eyes peered cautiously over the top of the bar. The melee was general by now. The bystanders had fled and the ladies from Serenity, ably assisted by four waiters, were doing well for all they were outnumbered.

Inara'd found herself a length of metal pole somewhere and wielded it expertly; twirling, striking and punching with the ends. Margot had both her sai reversed now, using the butt ends as knuckle dusters and her feet too. They were so graceful, almost like dancing. River drank in the sight of them. Memories tried to stir but she stomped them down automatically before they could surface.

Kaylee wasn't graceful, hadn't been trained in any martial arts, but she was effective; down and dirty specializing in low blows and knee jabs. She knew just where to hit a man to do the most damage. But as River watched a rueben seized Kaylee from behind, lifting her off her feet and squeezing her ribcage. Her feet kicked and she gasped for breath.

River reached for a bottle on the lower counter and threw. It hit the man square on the forehead, shattering. He dropped, Kaylee falling with him. She wriggled free and threw River a grin before going after another rueben.

River picked up a heavy green bottle with bulbous bottom and a long thin neck, selected a pair of targets and threw. It hit the first man square in the back of the head then rebounded to smack another in the side of the face, just as intended. River grinned delightedly and scrabbled for more bottles with both hands, not scared any more - in fact beginning to enjoy herself.

"You've got to learn to let go, son." Shepard Book said gently.

"So everybody keeps telling me," Simon answered, next to him on the passenger sofa, head in hands, "Even Jayne!"

"Jayne's got sisters of his own. A young girl needs space, Simon."

"But -"

"I know River's got special problems but you can trust Kaylee and Inara to take care of her."

"She's wanted!" Simon reminded Shepard desperately. "What if they run into a lawman?"

"I trust Margot to take care of that eventuality." Shepard said dryly.

A clatter of boots sounded on the companionway and Mal appeared in the doorway, grimfaced. "We got trouble."

The Oda presented a scene of devastation; collapsed booths, floor littered with shattered glass, drifts of torn cloth and dark stains that might have been blood. Those ruebens who hadn't been evacuated to hospital had been herded into a corner under the eye of unsympathetic lawmen. The waiters were being interviewed by still more minions of the law and Serenity's missing ladies sat in a row on some barstools, hands folded demurely in laps, looking like butter wouldn't melt in their mouths.

Simon made a beeline for his sister. "Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?" he demanded examining her with his eyes.

River gave him a withering glance before snapping back to sweet innocence. "I'm fine, Simon." she piped in a little girl voice not much like her usual one.

Shepard hung back at the door, seemingly having trouble holding his face solemn. Mal made straight for a grizzled lawman with officer's bars. "What happened here?"

"Captain Reynolds?" Mal nodded impatiently and the man continued with a disgusted nod towards the men in the corner. "Seems this bunch of ruebens mistook your ladies for joygirls and wouldn't take no for an answer. A rhubarb ensued but fortunately the ladies weren't injured." he beamed them a smile.

They smiled back. Mal could swear he saw batting eyes. "So, there's no charges against my passengers here?"

The lawman looked shocked. "'Course not. Wouldn't have called you at all, Captain, but I thought the ladies could do with a little support and comfort."

"Yeah, right." That lot needed 'comfort' like he needed a five bore hole in his head! "So, I'm free to take them home?"

"Absolutely. The Oda's pressing charges and we got the waiters as witnesses. No need to involve your ladies at all."

"Good, good." Mal walked over to confront his strayed lambs, eyeing them so as to show he wasn't fooled, even if the law was. "Come along, little ladies and I'll make you some nice cocoa back on the boat."

Are you sure you're all right?" Simon pressed his sister as they began the walk back to Serenity.

River pulled impatiently free of his hold and pirouetted in the street. "I'm wonderful. Had a great time."

Margot smiled. "It was somewhat refreshing at that. Nothing like a good tussle for cleansing the mind and invigorating the body."

"Which is why you chose to have your drinks in a cat house?" Mal snapped.

The humor went out of Margot's face. "I've been rattling around this 'verse longer than you've been alive, Captain," she snapped back, "and I can tell you from personal experience there are few places better then a house of assignation for a lady to enjoy some quiet refreshment without fear of annoyance."

"She's right, Mal." Shepard put in. "Never heard of a brawl in such a place till today." he looked at Margot. "What happened."

She shrugged. "Ruebens were all liquored up and looking for company. Would have passed it off easy enough if one hadn't drawn steel."

Simon squealed like a stuck pig. "You mean they had knives!"

River pirouetted again and gave her brother an unfriendly look. "Fuss, fuss, fuss." then happily: "I threw bottles!"

"Sure did! Kaylee chimed in from behind, walking arm and arm with Inara. "And never a miss either."

River shrugged, radiant with pleasure. "Vectors and trajectories are easy to figure."

"Only a few of them had knives." Margot reassured Simon. "And I took care of them." The sai appeared briefly from her sleeves, twirled and returned to hiding.

Mal, next to her, jumped a little at the sight. "You armed?"

"Of course." she answered with a pointed look at his own sidearm.

"And what happens if those ruebens happen to mention the fact?" he demanded heatedly. "Or River's bottle throwing?"

"Or Inara's very fine staff work and the damage Kaylee inflicted on assorted men's private parts?" Margot finished blithely. "They won't. Men don't talk when they've been wupped by three slips of girls and a lady old enough to be their mother! Not that my boy would ever behave in any such fashion."

"You have a son?" Kaylee asked interested.

Margot nodded. "Little older than you and shockingly handsome though I say it as shouldn't. And sweet natured as his father.

"Thank God for that." said Shepard.

By then they'd reached Serenity, passing through the cargo hold to the living quarters. Zoe, Wash and Jayne were drinking coffee at the table.

"There you are!" Wash greeted them cheerily then dropped a very obvious wink at his wife. "Hope you all had as good a time as we did."

Zoe eyed Mal's face suspiciously. "What trouble did you get into - sir?"

He swelled up indignantly. "I just had me some drinks and came quietly home. It was our sweet, refined ladies here who started a brawl."

"We didn't start it." Inara said with an edge to her voice. "We defended ourselves is all. You'd rather we'd been raped and abused?"

"Say what?" Jayne growled, attention caught, his eyes going first to River then to Kaylee. "You gals okay?"

"Just fine." Kaylee assured him. "We can take care of ourselves we can!"

River elbowed her brother strongly in the ribs. He glanced down at her pained and she nodded violently towards Kaylee. He looked, and regained his little sister's respect by taking the hint.

"Uh, Kaylee, that's a very lovely dress you have on."

Kaylee looked startled, then very pleased. "You think so?" she tried to straighten the folds, brushing ineffectually at some spattered stains. "Wish you'd seen it when it was fresh."

Simon proceeded to stun Serenity's female contingent by saying exactly the right thing. "So do I. But you're beautiful no matter what you wear."

"Oh!" Kaylee went crimson, eyes shining.

Simon blushed almost as red but didn't look away.

Mal cleared his throat. "Excuse me! We got a situation here that needs clearing." he looked sternly at Margot and Inara. "I grant it wasn't your fault but the fact remains none of us can risk attracting official interest, especially our two fugitives here, and that being the case -"

Margot stood on her tip-toes and kissed the tip of his nose. "You're beautiful when you're angry!" Mal goggled, stricken speechless as she continued blithely; "I like a man of spirit, don't you. River?" slipped her arm through the girl's and exited honor intact.

The Shepard, face inscrutable, went after them.

Mal's mouth worked but nothing came out. Inara, clapped a hand over her own to stifle her laughter. Kaylee collapsed, wheezing and holding her sides, against the kitchen counter. Simon was grinning - unusually broadly for him - and so was Wash. Jayne snickered.

Zoe calmly picked up her coffee. "Warned you about her didn't I, sir?"


	4. Crazy Is As Crazy Does

"You don't think Simon might be put off by the fact I've had others do you?" Kaylee's voice was muffled, coming from beneath the engine block.

River, crouched at her feet by the tool box, shook her head. "No. He's stupid, but not that stupid."

Kaylee slid out from beneath the engine, face streaked with sweat and oil. "It's not like there've been all that many. I'm no Silene Carpenter!"

River handed her a cleaning rag. "I'm supposed to spout non-sequiturs, not you."

Kaylee looked at her startled, then laughed. "Neighbor-girl back home. She'd sex anything with two legs - and maybe some with four!" she wiped her face energetically, then surfaced to continue. "Where I come from it's okay to have yourself some fun before settling down but decent folk are a little choosy!"

"I'm sure you were very selective." River said soothingly.

Kaylee wiped her hands, considering. "Guess I was. Nice boys, with good manners as well as good looks. A few who shared my mechanical bent. But never felt for any of them what I feel for Simon."

"Maybe 'cause he's the right one."

"Maybe he is." Kaylee hesitated then ventured; "I'd never try to come between the two of you, I mean a sister is a sister -"

River patted her knee. "I'll have Jayne to take care of me."

At that very moment Jayne was confronting Margot in the passenger lounge. "I want you to tell lil' crazy to stop pestering me!"

She gave him a mild look over the top of her book. "Why not tell her yourself?"

"'Cause she just laughs and calls me nice." He answered, aggrieved. "Once she even kissed me!"

"Oh the horror!"

Jayne glared. "Ain't funny. Actin' that way towards a man is invitin' trouble."

Margot pulled a solemn face. "I'm glad you don't mean to take advantage."

"I like women - not lil' girls!" Jayne mumbled.

"But little girls grow bigger every day." Margot observed.

He flushed even redder. Oh yes, he'd noticed. "I don't do nice girls. I want a woman who knows what's what."

"Women who've been knocked about a bit. In short women like yourself."

"Nothing wrong with that." he said, still defensive.

"Not a thing. In fact it's very admirable. So many men have an unhealthy obsession with virgins."

"Rotten bastards." Jayne agreed. "Nice girls oughta meet nice boys and settled down."

"Very true." Margot said soothingly. "And a troubled girl like River needs a good man, one who can take care of her."

"A doctor maybe, like her brother. Somebody educated and fancible." Jayne said, becoming downright animated.

"I was thinking more along the lines of somebody tough, good with his fists and with weapons." Margot answered thoughtfully. "Somebody able to keep her out of Alliance hands." Jayne's face turned a fascinating shade of magenta. "You don't think so?"

"No!" he said violently. Then appropo of nothing: "Sooner the Doc finds a place for them to settle the better!" and stalked out.

Margot looked after him, smiling faintly. "Oh yeah. He's got it bad. And that ain't good."

River leaned her head against the warm satiny side of the black gelding watching Margot rake horse manure into a sack. "Medication can only do part of the job, you have to do the rest." the older woman was saying.

She stroked the horse, frowning. "I can't just stop being crazy."

"No, but you can control bad feelings rather than letting them control you." Margot answered. River looked dubious and she continued. "For example, when the scary, frantic feeling comes over you instead of giving in to it, force yourself to fight it."

A spark of interest broke through the doubt. "But how?"

"Being with people always helped me." said Margot. "I've seen the way you wander round this boat like a lost little soul. Force yourself to sit down and talk to folks. Argue philosophy with Shepard. Talk maths with Wash. Help Kaylee with the engines."

"I did that earlier. We talked about Simon."

Margot nodded strongly. "Good. Good. Everybody on this boat's got problems, River. Smart girl like you might be able to help them, and the effort'll give you something to think about beyond the bad thoughts."

"Work to keep the fog thin." River said.

"Exactly. Got to get out of your mind and back into the real world."

River picked up a curry-comb and ran in it sweeping, soothing circles over the white mare's already sleek flanks. "What about the voices and visions?"

Margot leaned on her rake, considering. "That's a problem I didn't have. Mine was a mood disorder...Hmmm. I wonder if my nightmare spell would work for you?"

"Spell?" River repeated curiously.

"I used to have terrible nightmares as a child." Margot explained. "So I invented a magic spell to wake myself up. The key is knowing it's a nightmare. Can you tell when it's real and when it's not?"

"Mostly." River answered.

"Then it should work for you. In fact it'll probably work even better than it did for me, you being psychic and all. Stop currying moonbeam and sit down over here."

River obeyed, settling herself on a crate. Margot pulled off her work gloves and removed a ring set with a big rose red stone from her finger. "We'll use this as a focus."

River's face clouded. "You gonna hypnotize me?"

"Sort of. It's the best way to set the spell." she lifted a brow. "Won't work if you don't co-operate."

"I don't want to go to sleep." River warned.

"I don't want you to sleep." Margot replied, briskly. "I need you to concentrate, to focus. Now look at the stone...see the color, all warm and rosy. Color of safety, color of happiness." the Oxbridge accent crept back into her voice giving it an almost musical lilt. "Sink into it, feel it lap you around. Smell the sweetness, like roses in high summer..."

River's nose twitched, she breathed deep.

"Like a sea of billowing silk scattered with rose petals, sweet as the memory of a perfect summer day...This is how you want to feel."

"Yes," River breathed. "Oh, yes!"

"These are the words, say them after me: Rose Red -"

"Rose Red -"

"Summer Sweet -"

"Summer Sweet -"

"Safety Seek -"

"Safety Seek -"

"Wrap Me Round -"

"Wrap Me Round -"

"So Mot It Be!"

"So Mot It Be!"

"Now together," River's voice softly echoed her own as they recited the rhyme: "Rose Red; Summer Sweet; Safety Seek; Wrap Me Round; So Mot It Be!"

"Very good, River. From now on whenever you say or think these words you will feel exactly like you do at this moment. The voices will be silenced; and the visions disappear. So Mot It Be!"

Margot slipped the ring back onto her finger, and her voice turned brisk and business-like. Well it's done. I was right about your mind powers, it'll work even better for you than it did for me."

River's eyes refocused on the real world but her smile didn't fade, and she took one last deep breath of rose scent before letting the spell fade. "I know it will."

They were dropping the manure sacks into the waste chute when they heard voices on the catwalk above them.

Inara, waspish: Mal, Captain Reynolds! I want to talk to you."

Mal, mocking: "What can I do for you, Ambassador?"

"Stop wasting my time on backwaters is what you can do." Inara all but snarled.

Mal's answer oozed fake sympathy. "Nobody on Muir to meet your high standards, eh?"

"You've been very carefully avoiding decent planets where I might find a permanent clientele ever since I told you I was leaving!"

River and Margot exchanged looks, the girl's eyes wide with dismay.

"I ain't been doing anything of the kind." Mal denied, heatedly. "I go where work is in case you haven't noticed. Happens our next fuel stop's on Xanadu, that fancible enough to suit you?"

There was a pause, and a note of uncertainty in Inara's voice as she answered: "I think I've heard of it, a resort satellite in Aetherium sector?"

"You got it." said Mal, still angry.

A deep breath. "That - should do nicely. Thank you, Captain."

"You're welcome!"

The metal catwalk vibrated as big boots and soft slippers stalked off in opposite directions.

"Inara's leaving?" River mouthed, face drawn with misery.

Margot didn't see, she was still looking up with a thoughtful expression.

Simon darted out of the passenger lounge so suddenly as to make both women jump. "Kaylee's not in here is she?"

They stared at him in surprise. "Why should she be?" River answered.

Simon heaved a sigh of relief. "Don't tell her you've seen me, okay?"

"Why not?" asked River.

"If that's what you want." said Margot.

"Yes!" he said with some emphasis and headed away from them to settle behind Margot's big crate with his hand cortex-link.

His sister and fellow passenger looked after him for a moment, then at each other, then went through the lounge to Margot's bunk to clean up.

"People are strange." said River, soaping her arms to the elbow.

"It's my professional opinion you are way far from being the craziest person on this boat, sweetheart." Margot answered, rinsing her face. Hatches slamming overhead made both look up. "Fact is you don't even make the top five."

River giggled.


	5. Bushwacked!

River cowered at bay, whimpering as the blue gowned and masked figures drew closer needles and probes glittering menacingly in their hands. A voice whispered 'You must fight them, you can fight them.' she struggled to quiet the gibbering terror in her mind and as she did so words surfaced; words charged with warm, rosy power:

"Rose red; Summer Sweet; Safety Seek; Wrap Me Round; So Mote It Be!"

The last phrase was shouted aloud in triumph as her eyes opened on the safe, rose scented dark of her little bunk aboard Serenity. Far, far away from all who would hurt her.

The door slammed open. It was her brother of course. Always listening, even in sleep, for any sound or cry from her.

"I did it, Simon!" she crowed ecstatically. "I beat it - I made the terror go away!" She glowed with her victory. "Margot was right, I can fight it - and win!"

"What?" Simon blinked sleep and bewilderment out of his eyes.

"The magic worked! She set a spell in me and it worked! I thought it would but -"

"Spell? Magic? River what are you talking about?"

She explained.

Margot was reading in bed when her bunk door crashed open framing a half-clad and furious Simon. "What the hell do you think you're doing meddling with my sister!" he roared. "Do you have any idea the kind of damaged an untrained hypnotist can do to a case like hers? I want you to leave River alone, I don't even want you talking to her!"

Margot waited until he'd reduced himself to panting silence before saying. "Is it the custom on Osiris to burst half dressed into a lady's room in the middle of the night and scream at her? Are these the manners your parents taught you?"

Simon, still breathing hard, flushed painfully instantly reduced to ill bred little boy. Damn. How did she do that?

"Sit down, Simon." she continued in the same tones of matriarchal authority. "Calm down and listen. First I happen to be a board certified Clinical Psychologist with eleven years practical experience making me a lot better qualified to 'meddle' with your sister then you are Doctor."

"S'true." Shepard Book said, bathrobed and wild haired from the doorway. "You'd do well to listen to the lady, son."

She nodded a polite greeting. "Thank you, Derrial." then continued to Simon. "As I told River medications are only half the battle. At best they give sufficient awareness and control for the patient to employ cognitive tools to help her deal with her disturbed emotions and perceptions. Yesterday I gave River such a tool; a mnemonic reinforced by post-hypnotic suggestion. She responded well, it should work -"

"It did." Simon said reluctantly. "Didn't you hear her?"

"No, I was concentrating. Good. I hoped her psychic abilities would give her an edge in controlling her own mind -"

Simon interrupted again; "She isn't -"

"Of course she is! That's half the problem, she's getting uncontrolled extra-sensory input that's disrupting her hold on reality." grimly: "Your Academy scientists seem to have destroyed all the usual defenses against such input. There's a reason why we block off psychic awareness!"

"What's the other half?" Book asked.

Margot shrugged. "The usual post-traumatic stress of course but on top of that she's deliberately repressing something - no idea what but it must be very bad judging by the amount of energy she's putting into keeping it out of her consciousness."

"Can you dig it out?"

Margot shook her head. "I'd advise against it. At the moment she needs to work on strengthening and stabilizing her reality matrix. When she's strong enough to face them the memories should surface on their own. Forcing them before time will worsen rather than improve her condition." she turned her attention back to Simon. "I advise you to cut her med dosages by a third across the board and discontinue Federol entirely. Overmedicating causes its own problems - as you've seen."

"I -" Simon began.

She smiled at him kindly, transforming from stern mother to approving one. "You are a surgeon operating way out of your field. You've done a fine job over all but you've become a little too reliant on drugs to control River. She needs to learn to control herself."

"You think she can?" he asked almost forlornly.

"She took the first step tonight. We can't expect a full cure - not with the disrupting psychic input - but we can hope for considerable improvement. In time. You must be patient, Simon."

"Back to bed now, son. The lady needs her beauty sleep." the Shepard said gently, and made way for Simon as he went out, calmed and reassured. Book looked at Margot, eyes glinting. "Anything you don't have a degree in?"

"Several thousands." she answered crisply. "But Anthropology leads to Sociology. Sociology leads to Psychology. And Psychology leads to Abnormal Psychology." Margot shrugged. "Living at the Athenaeum I've got plenty of opportunity to study whatever takes my fancy."

Shepard nodded pensively. "Given your knack for driving folk crazy, it's only right you should know how to make 'em sane again."

Margot stuck out her tongue at him, then ostentatiously raised her book to resume reading. Book grinned, slid the door shut and went back to his own bed.

The whiny voice of the nameless little man from the bar oozed from the speaker but there was no vision. "I got a bite, but they want to see the goods before they hand over payment. Shall I send them to you?"

"No!" Mal answered sharply. He and Zoe had closeted themselves away on the bridge to take this wave.

"You want me to take 'em to 'em?"

"Hell no!" Mal gnawed a lip thinking. "Set up a rendezvous. My first and I will bring the goods and you can do the dickering. We'll stay out of sight but we'll keep an eye - and a weapon or two on you."

"No need for that." the voice responded, hurt. "I'm an honest business man I am!"

"Sure you are. But I'm a nasty suspicious bastard. Set up the appointment and wave us where and when."

If that's how you want it." the voice sulked, and signed off.

"Wonderful the way you make us friends wherever we go, sir." said Zoe.

"Yeah, ain't it just."

"Zoe and I are going out to do some business." Mal informed his assembled passengers and crew a few hours later at dinner. Shouldn't take long, but I want somebody listening in case we have to call in back up."

Wash and Kaylee nodded seriously. Jayne slumped in his seat in a black sulk, like a kid deprived of a favorite toy. River patted his shoulder consolingly. He shrugged her hand off angrily and she put it back with the other in her lap but the sympathy on her face didn't change.

"Likely to be trouble?" Wash asked, shooting a concerned look at his wife.

"I doubt it. But never hurts to take precautions." Mal answered.

They set off right after dinner, the cannon well covered in the back of the mule, Zoe driving. Nobody ever let Mal pilot anything if they could well help it. The rendezvous was a back street lined by high walls haloed with light from the enclosed yards. Cheerful voices, music and the smell of food drifted into the alley, a thread of lonesome dark shut off from normal life, like the crew of Serenity.

Mal shrugged off the thought, peering ahead. Their contact was waiting at a cross-road, this time dressed in a suit decorated with luminous stripes of sickly green and orange-red.

Zoe winced. "I'll never complain about Wash's shirts again." she muttered, bringing the mule to a halt.

"Nor me." Mal agreed sotto-voce, then aloud; "Give us a hand unloading, will ya?"

The four cannon were arranged on a black drop cloth, lights set up at the four corners making their metal glitter. Then Zoe backed the mule until it was hidden in the darkness before joining Mal under cover of an angle of wall, eyes fixed gimlet-like on the goods and their go-between.

The customers arrived right on schedule, just moments after Zoe and Mal'd made themselves invisible, two big, well built bruisers; one with a graying buzz cut and bearing that screamed 'military'; the other fair colored, lanky, loose limbed and apparently bored. It was the military one who inspected the goods, leaning down close and probing with long, deft fingers. Tweed- suit stuck to him like a wad of chewing gum sticks to shoe leather, babbling a pitch that the customer was obviously ignoring.

Studying them from the shadows Mal decided he liked what he was looking at. Men living on the edge but straight enough in their own crooked way - just like his ownself. A sidelong glance at Zoe showed him a fractional relaxation that said she agreed. There'd be no double-cross from these two.

Buzz-cut had made up his mind. He straightened up pushing Tweed-suit back with one long arm as he fished out a wad of cash money. Mal relaxed, too soon as it turned out.

A volley of gunfire showered down from the top of neighboring wall, catching Tweed-suit full in the back and winging Buzz-cut on the arm holding the money. It fell from his hand as he summersaulted backward into the cover of some ash-cans next to his rangy friend. The two of them and Mal and Zoe all opened fire on the wall, that being the only target they could see. The standing lights went out in a series of sparky explosions and so did the light leaking over from the backyards as the locals took shelter in their homes.

Zoe groped her way through the blackness to the mule and turned on its headlights. Tweed-suit lay face down, his back a bloody mess, beside an empty drop cloth. The cannon were gone.

For a long moment nobody moved. Then Mal shoved his gun back in its holster and walked into the light to check Tweed-suit. Yeah, he was dead all right. When he looked up the buyers were standing over him, Buzz-cut holding his arm.

"And you'd be?" he asked.

"The seller. Those were my guns they took."

"Looks like they got our money too." lean and lanky observed, cool and calm as softly falling snow.

Buzz-cut didn't take it so peacefully. He swore in Mandarin and another tongue Mal didn't know for nigh on thirty seconds.

Zoe interrupted him. "Looked like they winged you. Best let me have a look at that arm."

"They did. But there's nothing you can do about it 'less you're a mechanic." He took his hand away to show skin curling back not from blood and muscle but wire and components. "Must have got the nerve center, I can't move anything below the elbow."

"Wouldn't have dropped the money otherwise." commented his friend. Then to Zoe. "Don't suppose you have any idea who those reubens were?"

"Nary a one." Mal answered for her, rocking back onto his hams and wiping his hands on his thighs. "You?"

Buzz-cut shrugged. "I got no enemies here - nor friends. Never been on this rock before in my life."

"You knew him." Zoe said, nodding at the body.

He shook his head. "Nope. Nothing to me but a contact number. Was cruising the VR market and saw the goods. Seemed like a good deal."

"Who'd have know about this little rendezvous?" Mal wondered.

"Me and my crew." buzz-cut shrugged. "You and yours -"

"And anybody working with this poor chump." finished lean and lanky.

Mal stood up. "Whoever they are they got my guns and your cash. Seems to me we got a common problem here."

Buzz-cut nodded and held out his left hand. "Name's Maxx Williams. This is Ross MacIntosh generally known as Rawhide."

Mal shook. "Malcolm Reynolds. And my first officer Zoe Washburn."

Zoe nodded polite acknowledgement, then pointed at the bullet powdered wall. "A look into that yard might be productive."


	6. Aces and Eights

Sue sat on the arm of Jack's chair, her silvery evening gown slit high to display long, shapely dancer's legs elegantly crossed. Her arm was around her employer's neck and her cheek rested on the warm nap of his not quite smooth shaven head as she struggled to keep her eyes open. It had been a very long evening.

Not that this wasn't the cushiest job a girl could possibly have. All she had to do was appear beautifully gowned and coiffed and richly bejeweled on Jack Leland's arm to charm and entertain his guests and watch him play cards. And there lay the rub - for as far as Sue was concerned poker, no matter how high the stakes, was slightly less interesting than watching paint dry. Meaning there were moments - like now - when her new job didn't seem that much better than her old one; dancing in a saloon on a away-and-gone rim moon. Except of course for the free room and board, standard crew pay and passage home to the Core!

Jack's remaining opponent had been studying his hand forever, sweating slightly. The other two had already thrown in their cards and were being consoled by Nyota over on the couch. The Companion's dark, perfect face was wreathed in gentle smiles as she poured rice wine for the two men sitting on either side of her, her wonderful skin set off by gold shot vermilion draperies.

Hwa Ling was perched on the edge of the pool table, sleek and glamorous in skin tight indigo satin sheath and matching elbow length gloves, moodily smoking a cigarette in a long black lacquer holder.

Finally the man blew out a resigned sigh and laid his hand face down on the green baize. "I fold."

Sue restrained an urge to cheer.

Jack beamed his warmest smile. "A fine game, Sir BonTriumph. I can't remember the last time I've been so challenged."

The man would have been less than human if he hadn't smiled back. "Nor I, Mr. Leland."

Nyota had her two on their feet and moving to join their friend. Sue was ready at the door with smiles and wraps. The four of them escorted their guests down to the cargo deck and watched as they went out the big doors to their waiting limos.

"Thank God that's over!" Sue said with heartfelt relief as the cars pulled away and Jack laughed.

Hwa Ling snorted gently. "A very pleasant evening. Moderately profitable - and nobody tried to kill us."

There was that. At least these three had been good losers.

"Let us enjoy our good fortune while we may." Nyota advised slipping on arm through Hwa Ling's and the other through Jack's. He in turn linked arms with Sue and the four of them went back up the stairs to crew quarters. There they split up, everybody going into his or her own cabin. Sue slipped off her gown, put her jewelry safely away then wrapped herself in a robe, grabbed her nightie and headed for the shower.

She walked into the galley and stopped in her tracks. As usual she wasn't quite sure of the time but it'd been black night outside so she was more than a little surprised to find the entire crew of the 'Aces and Eights' - master, mechanic, medic and pilot - all sitting round the table. Captain Williams was visibly fuming and his right arm lay, plasti-skin peeled back, in front of Joe. The mechanic did something with a probe and three of the four fingers curled making a very rude gesture. Ramona laughed.

"What happened?" Sue asked.

"Ran into a bit of trouble." Rawhide answered, laconic as ever.

"I can see that. What kind of trouble?"

"Nothing you need worry your pretty head about." it was the Captain who answered this time, eyes still on his favorite arm.

Sue turned towards the door. "I'll get Jack."

"No!"

She glanced back startled. There were never any secrets between Jack and the Captain.

Williams took a deep breath and finally looked at her. "It's nothing, just a minor deal gone south. We got all the help we could want and no need to involve your lot. Nor to bother Mr. Leland at this hour. I'll give him a run down in the morning."

"Oh. Okay." Sue knew of course that the Captain had his own business, quite apart from running the Aces and Eights, and so did Jack. Captain Williams hadn't hesitated to ask for help in the past if he didn't want any now it was only because he didn't need it. Just as well. They had a big do to go to tomorrow and Jack just hated to cancel at the last minute.

Sue went into the head for her shower. When she came out, face scrubbed free of make-up, hair washed clean of product and combed straight, it was to find Hwa Ling had joined the crew at the table. She was wearing peach colored pyjamas, embroidered slippers and a slight frown.

"Has it occurred to you this might be a scheme to get your money and keep the cannon?" she was demanding.

"It crossed my mind but I don't buy it." Captain Williams answered firmly. "Reynolds strikes me as a straight crook. He and his first officer are Browncoats which argues a great contempt for law but strong pride in keeping their word."

"Wondered if you noticed that." Rawhide said, sipping at a mug of coffee.

"'Course I did. And no doubt Reynold's noticed I'm ex-Alliance Military. But the war's long over and right now we got ourselves a common problem that needs solving."

"Alliance military!" Wash's eyes popped as wide as they would go and his bristly blond hair all but stood up.

"Ex-military." Mal corrected taking a big mug of tea from Kaylee's hand. "Wouldn't have been in that alley if he weren't thoroughly crooked."

Serenity's regular crew sat round the galley table discussing this latest crisis while their passengers slept.

"Crooked enough to try for the goods without paying?" Jayne growled.

Mal shook his head, oddly sure of himself. "Don't think so. I read him as honest - in the same backhanded sort way we are our ownselves."

"I agree." said Zoe. "Besides I don't think any man'd have the guts and gall to stand straight and tall like that knowing a hail of gunfire's going to come out of nowhere any second."

"That too." said Mal.

Kaylee clasped her hands around her mug. "What did you find in the yard?"

"Naught but a whole lot of empty casings." Mal admitted ruefully.

"House's been abandoned for years by the look of it." Zoe added.

"Which Tweed-suit might have known." Wash said thoughtfully. "Could he have set up the double-cross and then been double-crossed himself?"

Zoe frowned. "I doubt it."

Mal agreed. "If he'd been plotting we'd have seen him twitching."

"If'n you got no clues where're we supposed to start?" Jayne wanted to know.

"At Rick's place. We meet Captain Williams and his crew there bright and early tomorrow noon and start asking some probing type questions of the regulars."

"Sounds good." said Jayne with his nastiest grin.

The passengers found out about the trouble next morning at breakfast. All wisely held their peace at that time but it didn't keep them from discussing it amongst themselves in the lounge after.

"Things never do go smooth for our Captain Reynolds do they?" Margot said, ruefully shaking her head over her knitting.

"You can say that again." Simon agreed from the yellow couch. "Something always goes wrong."

River knelt on the rug at his feet, rolling a handful of ball bearings around the coffee table, and grinned under cover of her fall of hair.

Shepard smiled too but wryly. "Still he's got a knack for fishing a kind of success out of disaster. Just hope he's read this Williams right."

"He has." Margot said. "Django and I crossed paths with Maxx Williams not so many years ago. He wouldn't have survived the encounter if he wasn't straight - in his way."

River looked up, interested. "Your Django is a bad man?"

Margot smiled. "Depends on who you ask, sweetheart. He's what I call a good bad man. Not unlike our Captain."

"More dangerous." said Shepard.

"Only to some, Derrial. Only to some."

That made Book grimace. Margot and River understood why, Simon didn't even see.

River abruptly changed the subject, turning accusingly on her brother. "You're hiding from Kaylee."

"I am not!" he said defensively.

"Yes you are." said Margot calmly.

Simon flushed. "I don't want to lead the girl on. Nothing wrong with that is there?"

"Everything wrong!" River said flatly. "Kaylee's nice. She likes you and you like her. You could make each other happy. Instead you're both all roiled and miserable!"

Her brother blushed even darker. "You don't understand, (little sister)."

"Yes I do." she said darkly.

Kaylee sat on the edge of Inara's big bed watching her carefully pack an exquisite bejeweled gown in a lacquered case. "Another big, fancy shindig, huh?"

"That's right." Inara shot her a mischievous sidelong glance. "And if you decide to attend Miss Kaywinnet Lee Frye don't you dare bring Malcolm Reynolds as your escort!"

That got a smile. "Never again. Can't take that man anywhere." Kaylee turned wistful. "Know who I'd like to take."

Inara closed the case and sat down putting an arm around the girl's shoulders. "You've got to be patient with Simon, honey."

Kaylee blinked rapidly, tears threatening. "I haven't seen him save at meals for days!"

"I know." Inara gave her a quick hug. "He's scared, Kaylee. You heard River, he's never been in love before. He must be feeling very overwhelmed and confused."

"He's confused!" still that got a shaky smile. "Poor Simon."

"Poor Simon indeed. You'll have to be patient with him, honey. Patient and gentle. You're much more mature and experienced in love matters then he is."

"Guess I am at that." Kaylee said on a note of surprise.


	7. Return to Rick

Rick's Place was just as darksome and uninviting at high noon as midnight, windowless walls excluding any hint of daylight. Mal, Zoe and Jayne sat at one of the larger tables facing Williams, his right hand man and a pretty little redhead in a tight chartreuse dress that showed a lot of toned, olive skin.

"My medic, Ramona Cortez." Williams introduced.

She flashed a gamin smile. "Call me Devil."

"And a right little devil she is." her Captain agreed, continued to Mal. "I thought you and I might start by having words with the proprietor."

Sounded good. "Right. Jayne, you're with us. Zoe you chat up the help, see if you can find anything out."

"Why don't you back her up, Rawhide?" Williams shot Zoe a grin. "Not that Ms. Washburn ain't fully capable of getting answers by her ownself."

That got him a flicker of a smile in response as she rose. "Never hurts to have back-up, sir." she led Rawhide off towards the bar and its tender.

"Cortez, you work the customers." Williams told the redhead. She nodded, slid out of her seat and undulated away, gathering eyes.

Three big men had no particular trouble buffaloing their way through what passed for security in this place. But that meant the proprietor, who was pretty big and burly in his own right, was plenty annoyed when they finally ran him to ground in a surprisingly nice office lit by a big picture window with a view of the docks. Obviously a shift in tactics was in order.

"We're not out to make any trouble for you and yours, Mister." Maxx said, pouring the soothing oils. "Thing is Captain Reynolds and I were engaged in a bit of quiet trade through a go-between who worked out of your place."

"Deal blew up in our face and now our middle-man is dead and our money and goods gone." Mal chimed in. "All we want is our own back."

"Yeah!" said Jayne from his stance by the door.

Rick - assuming that was his name - relaxed just a trifle. "What makes you think I know anything 'bout it?" he growled.

"We don't think any such thing." Maxx answered promptly. "But a smart business man ain't gonna let just anybody work out of his place."

"It's information on our go-between we're looking for, nothing else." Mal assured him.

The proprietor relaxed some more. Seemed he wasn't adverse to being helpful in that way. "You got a name?"

Maxx shook his head. "Naught but a contact number."

"Little weasely rueben with nasty taste in tweeds." Mal added.

Rick's face changed. "Louie? You say Louie's dead?"

"'Fraid so." Mal's gaze sharpened. "Friend of yours?"

The man shook his head. "Naw, but he was a pitiful little chump. Totally harmless."

"So - no killin' type enemies?" Maxx probed.

"Louie? Hell no! Never did well enough to earn any. And he was honest enough in his way. Nobody had anything against Louie. Harmless like I said."

Mal and Maxx exchanged baffled looks.

Rick seemed to be thinking deep thoughts, his face twitched as if he were having trouble making up his mind - then he did. "We got ourselves a dung heap king with delusions of grandeur, angling for 'Ser Toh' (Syndicate Boss) status. He's meeting with some resistance in low quarters and might have made an example of Louie."

"Him being so harmless and helpless." Maxx said with visible distaste.

"Yeah." Rick clearly shared his opinion. "Yellow clear through - that's our aspiring gang lord. Syndicate'd eat him alive."

"Got a name?" Mal asked.

The bar-girl sniffled and dabbed her eyes with the hanky Rawhide'd given her, trying to save her make-up.

"Sorry to bring you bad news." Zoe said quite gently.

"It's not that I was carrying a torch for Louie," the girl explained. "Not ever a feebly winking lil' candle. But he was such a harmless chump. Pitiful really."

"That was my impression." Zoe agreed. "So, not likely to have enemies?"

"Louie?" the girl almost laughed. "Never! Most folk liked him 'bout as much as they despised him."

"What about the locale he picked?" Rawhide asked suddenly. "Cross alley between Landfall and Bloodmont streets. Maybe we violated somebody's territory?"

But the girl shook her head. "No. Nobody's laid claim to that stretch far as I've heard. That's a respectable neighborhood."

"Not a likely place for a robber-gang to set up quarters then?" asked Zoe.

Another head shake. "I wouldn't think so." the bar girl frowned. "Suppose somebody might just have moved in though."

The men playing holo-billiards actually seemed a might depressed over the tweedy crook's death.

"Louie never did have any luck." one said gloomily.

"Barely scraped up a living." another agreed. "Harmless little guy."

There seemed general agreement on that point.

Devil perched on the corner of the play table, swung her long legs and wrinkled her nose fetchingly. "Must have been the job then. Guess he got in over his head."

That roused group disbelief. "Louie? Impossible!"

"Nobody'd trust him with a big deal," a player explained kindly. "Picayune all the way, that was our Louie."

She swung her legs again. "According to you all nobody'd want to kill Louie. But somebody did."

A man shrugged helplessly. "I know. I just can't figure it." and murmurs from all assembled showed they shared in his opinion.

"I admit to being baffled." Zoe confessed to the two strange crew after they'd forgathered at a corner table to compare notes. "The little man was too picayune for killin' competition. And too harmless to have personal enemies."

"I'm leaning towards an opportune bit of robbery." Rawhide said. Both women looked dubious.

"Awful lot of folk pretty heavily armed to just be wandering by." Devil pointed out.

"And in a respectable neighborhood at that." Zoe added.

Rawhide shrugged. "I know. You got a better explanation?"

A moment of silent thought. "He's right." Devil said at last. "We don't have any enemies on this rock. You say you don't neither. And if our go-between didn't either then all that leaves is thieves getting lucky."

Rawhide cracked a smile. "And us getting unlucky - which is no uncommon happening."

Zoe sighed. "Nor for us."

At that moment the two captains appeared on a branching stair trailed by Jayne, all three looking grim and purposeful.

"Looks like they've had better luck." Devil observed.

Sue woke slowly and luxuriantly, finally pulling herself out of bed and into a comfy robe to pad bare faced and uncombed to the galley saloon. Judging by the bright sunshine falling through the skylights it was well after noon. The walnut paneling glowed with red and golden highlights. Sue's cat, Calico Queen, slept peacefully on one of the well cushioned benches lining the walls beneath twin rows of hardwood storage cabinets. And pair of big comfortable chairs faced a huge cortex screen at the bow end.

Hwa Ling was sitting at one end of the long oak refectory table dressed in her usual shipboard garb of t-shirt and baggy military fatigues, frowning over a padd with a protein drink at her elbow.

Joe Henderson sat at the other end - as far from her as he could get - still fussing over the Captain's best arm, wire-rims sliding down his nose and an array of tiny tools laid out in neat rows around him.

Sue got herself a roll, a glass of milk and an orange from the food locker next to the door then sat down opposite the mechanic. "'Morning, Joe." He didn't look up but the tools quivered in his hands. "Still working on the arm I see." she continued sympathetically. "Captain bashed it bad this time?"

He mumbled something and stuck a probe in at random. Wires sparked and he withdrew it hastily.

Sue controlled a sigh. She'd been trying to get friendly with the mechanic ever since she came aboard - he was awfully cute in his reserved, button down way - and gotten exactly nowhere.

The boy wasn't just shy he was positively paralyzed around women, talking to their feet rather than their faces - that is when he managed to get out any coherent words at all.

"See I'm the last up as usual."

This time Joe managed to scrape up an answer, never raising his eyes from his work. "Uh yeah. Captain's gone out with Rawhide and Devil." - which was what her crewmates called Ramona. "Mr. Leland's upstairs in the exercise room I think, and Miss Penda's in her loft."

"Got another party tonight gorramit." Sue chatted on.

And that - wonder of wonders - got him to look up. Not only that his eyes stayed up gazing at her with a kind of astonishment.

"Look different without my warpaint on don't I?" she grinned.

He blushed brightly, eyes shifting down again. "Uh yeah - I mean no! I mean -"

"S'okay." she assured him. "This is the real me, not the painted doll that goes about on Jack's arm. And sometimes playing her gets right tedious."

Which got another look accompanied by an adorably puzzled frown. "You don't like going out with Mr. Leland?"

"Jack's the nicest, kindest man I've ever met - much less worked for." she replied promptly. "And I like pretty clothes and jewels as well as the next girl," she flashed Joe a smile. "but I don't drink and I don't gamble which makes card parties downright boring." she let out a sigh. "At least tonight there'll be dancing. I love to dance. Do you dance, Joe?"

Red flooded his face to the ears. "No!"

"Bet you'd be good," she said matter-of-factly, "light footed as you are."

That surprised him so much he forgot to be embarrassed. "Me?"

"You mean nobody's ever told you?" she asked with pretended astonishment. Men don't say such things to each other and what woman'd ever had the chance to?

"Uh, no." he stuttered.

"Well you're right graceful, as anybody with eyes can plainly see." she assured him.

"I - uh - thank you." he got to his feet. "'Scuse me, got to get something." and escaped.

Sue drank her milk with a feeling of triumph.

Hwa Ling's voice floated down the long board. "Nicely done. But don't push to hard. Joe's going to need gentle coaxing."

"I know." Sue looked at the padd in front of the other woman. "Checking security for tonight?"

The bodyguard snorted disgustedly. "This Sir Winstone's arrangements are scarcely worthy of the name. No screening devices, no guards apart from a few fancy dress footmen -!"

"Not everybody's got deadly enemies gunning for them." Sue observed.

"But some do." Hwa Ling answered grimly, meaning Jack and herself.

"Not on this planet." Sue pointed out.

"That we know of." Hwa Ling rejoined gloomily.


	8. Preparations

Muir wasn't a fully terraformed world. In fact it had no business being inhabited at all 'cept it happened to be orbiting just where a refueling stop was needed. Gregg's Port was a cluster of enviromental domes sheltering the 'good' part of town: Corporate offices, Terraforming board, a few classy hotels, restaurants and shops, the expensive residences of the high muckety-mucks and row houses for the respectable hoi-polloi. All fringed by dock slips and port locks with tunnels leading down to the less salubrious parts of town or raying out in all directions to connect the port with Terraforming stations and the domed estates of the handful of really rich.

Mal and Zoe sat on a sofa across from Maxx Williams all three frowning down at a digi-map of Gregg's Port and environs spread out on a coffee table.

"This is where our wannabe Ser Toh lives." Williams tapped an outlying dome and the map rippled, changing to a close up of that sector.

"House itself's a blank I see." Mal observed.

"Yeah. Privacy. I got Henderson - my mechanic - seeing what he can dig out of the Cortex but he doesn't hold out much hope."

"I just love going in blind." Zoe remarked.

"Me too." Maxx agreed.

"Can't think knocking politely at the door and asking for our cannon and money back will get us nowhere." Mal observed.

"I doubt we can get our rightful property back at all." Maxx rejoined grimly.

"Don't know about you, sir, but Captain Reynolds and I feel no inclination to just walk away." said Zoe pointedly.

Williams flashed her a brief grin. "Nor me, Washburn, nor me." He looked again at the map. "We might have to settle for other compensation though."

"Fair enough." Mal said. "Way I see it this rueben owes me and mine somewhere in the neighborhood of six or seven hundred credits with maybe a little added on for aggravation."

Maxx's grin reappeared, much broader. "Counting in the damage done my arm I won't settle for a credit less then a thousand."

"Nor should you." Mal agreed heartily, returning the smile with interest. Former purple belly or not he liked the way this man's mind worked.

The three of them were in a sort of loft above the Aces and Eights crew quarters. Pipes and wiring pressed close overhead but the sofa and chairs were deep and comfortable and covered in fine leather. The map lay on the polished surface of a fine wood table, its rim and legs deeply carved in abstract patterns. And the carpet underfoot was as fine and silky as any in Inara's shuttle.

It was clear as clear that Aces and Eights was a rich man's yacht - but not Williams' own. Mal's guess was he and his crew were hired hands dabbling in crime on the side. And why not, a man's got to live don't he?

The metal ramp linking their little loft to the one with the ladder sounded beneath feet and a boy came in with a CAD board in his hands.

"What you got, Henderson?" Maxx asked.

Mal did a bit of a double take. This kid didn't look like any mechanic he'd ever seen with his neat pressed trousers and spotless white shirt. His hair was shorn short on the sides with a brown thatch on top and his face half eclipsed by a bulky pair of glasses.

"Not much, sir," he answered putting the CAD down on the map. The house seems to be a standard plan, he touched a key and a schematic appeared. "Neo-Wright - very nice."

"So our Ser Toh has good taste in architecture if nothing else." Zoe said dryly.

Henderson's cheek flushed red beneath his spectacles. "Yes, ma'am. No record of any alterations but that don't mean he didn't make 'em."

"Understood." Maxx said, crisply business-like. "What else?"

"A list of weapons and security devices purchased over the last year or so." Henderson answered as a small screen appeared in a corner of the schematic..

Mal whistled. "Look's like the man's equipped him an army."

"Well, sir, we've taken on armies before." said Zoe.

"And lost." Mal replied with a side glance at Maxx.

"From what I've heard about you, Reynolds, you are not a man frightened by numbers." he answered good naturedly.

"I do seem to find myself on the wrong end of them more often than not." Mal conceded.

"So do I." said Maxx. "That's why I cheat."

"Cheat like crazy." said Henderson, as if quoting some one.

Maxx grinned again. "You got it, son. Anything else?"

"Well, the complex's links with the transport system and other utilities are a matter of public record."

"Now we're talking!" said Zoe.

Down in the galley/salon Sue switched off the Cortex and swiveled to face Hwa Ling and Nyota at the table. "So - what are we all wearing?"

"My gold sari." the Companion answered promptly.

"Dark red brocade." Hwa Ling said, mind still on other things.

"So I should go for green or blue." Sue considered.

"Something cool toned." Nyota agreed.

Hwa Ling's fingers tapped nervously on the table. "I got a bad feeling about tonight."

The other two women looked at her startled - and concerned. Hwa's feelings were to be listened to.

"Have you told Jack?" Nyota asked.

"Yes, but he's still set on going." the bodyguard sounded annoyed.

"You know how he hates changing plans." said Sue.

Nyota smiled wryly. "Gambling's not just what Jack does, it's who he is. No way in this 'Verse he won't take a chance."

"Can't be anything or anybody on this picayune rock who's a match for you." Sue told Hwa Ling with an absolute confidence that made the other woman smile.

"I surely hope not. But that's not to say I can't do with a bit of help. I want you both equipped for trouble, hear me?"

Nyota and Sue nodded obediently.

Sue went off to her cabin to get ready - a lengthy process and their evening was due to start early with a dinner party given by Sir BonTriumph. She opened up the big marquetry armoire and looked through her working wardrobe. It included clothes of all kinds; sports, formal day, casual day, and of course evening, all very expensive and in the latest Core fashion. Something in blue or green, and fancible as she possessed as they were going to a ball.

After some little time she decided on a shimmery silver-blue number with halter top, watteau back and an abundance of rustling pleated skirt. Now, what should she do with her hair? Sue sat down at the round, marble topped table against the end wall and touched a control under the rim. The top opened up, a three way mirror expanding into being and two trays swiveled out on either side one holding combs, brushes, pins and switches of real hair exactly matching Sue's shade of blond; the other cosmetics and perfumes in glistening boxes, jars and bottles.

After some experimentation she decided on a severely elegant diadem of braids that emphasized her long slender neck and the lines of cheekbone and jaw. Then put on a face to match; shading the hollows beneath to make her cheekbones look higher, painting her mouth full and red and pouty, then using eyeshadow and mascara to get that sensuous, sulky heavy lidded look. The resulting mask was a haughty beauty about as far from her real face as you could get.

Sue switched off the working surface and lifted out her jewel box, opening the lid on a dazzle of stone and pearl and platinum. She had no idea if they were real or synth and didn't really want to know. The jewels, like the fancy wardrobe, belonged to Jack not her. After serious consideration she decided on a diamond fringe, worn as a bandeau, and a pair of opal and crystal earrings that hung nearly to her shoulders. The dress went on over a bouffant taffeta petticoat and then it was time for the final touches - the equipment for trouble Hwa Ling had ordered.

The fighting knife Sue strapped to her right forearm, where it would be hidden by evening gloves, and the derringer she tucked into the pocket at the small of her back were her own, bought on Gold Rush, but the transmitter/signal unit disguised as a diamond and sapphire bracelet came from Hwa Ling, as did the explosive lipsticks and gas compact Sue slipped into her little evening bag.

Hwa's instincts were as sound as the Alliance Credit. If she had a bad feeling then it was sure as sure that tonight wouldn't be anywhere near as boring as Sue had expected. She checked the clock and rustled out to meet the others. Such was life with Jack; long periods of dragging boredom punctuated by moments of stark terror. And they were overdue for more of the latter.

Some miles away another girl, aboard another boat, was also preparing for a busy night. Kaylee sat of the floor of her engine room surrounded by just about every tool and gadget she possessed choosing out the ones she'd need for tonight's crime and packing them into a carry box. A throat cleared and she looked up. It was Simon.

"Well, hello stranger!"

He reddened a little but said; "Getting ready for tonight?" in the tone of a man determined to say what he'd come to say with no diversions.

"That's right." she answered, a little wary.

"What the Captain's planning sounds dangerous."

And he didn't look at all happy 'bout it. Her heart lightened. "Maybe a little. But I'll have Jayne to take care of me."

Simon nodded in a thoughtful sort of way. "I've seen Jayne in action. He's amazing."

Kaylee agreed. Her own faith in Jayne's ability to handle violence was bottomless and well merited. She knew she'd be safe with him no matter what went down.

Simon was looking intently at something behind her right shoulder. "You - you be careful. I - I'd be very upset - no - I'd be deeply grieved - if anything happened to you."

Kaylee's heart sang joyful hosanas. That was as close to a declaration as Simon had come yet. Then his eyes shifted to nail hers straight on. Her breath caught. There was love in them - but a sadness too...

"I couldn't stand it if you got hurt." he said steadily. "If I somehow put you in the way of danger - well I'd never be able to live with myself."

Kaylee swallowed painfully. She was a smart girl, she knew what he was saying to her. She wanted to tell him he needn't worry, she could take care of herself, but it weren't true and they both knew it.

"I'll be careful." she managed.

He saw his message had been received. "I wish -" broke off and started again. "I'll be waiting up, just in case. See you later."

She forced a smile. "Alive and well, I promise."


	9. Things Never Go Smooth

Sue rustled into the galley to find Ace's and Eights' crew preparing for an outing of their own. Everybody was in chameleon suits; baggy grayish coveralls spangled with shiny light sensors like giant sequins. Fiber-optic wiring showed here and there and a hump on the back contained a small processing computer. Rawhide and Ramona were picking and choosing from the array of lethal objects spread out on the table while the Captain stood frowning, flexing his prosthetic hand as Joe made some last minute adjustments.

Sue eased closer to the goodies on the table. "Mind if I take a couple of those flash-bangs?"

That got her a sharp look from Captain Maxx. "You expecting trouble?"

"Hwa is."

And Hwa Ling's hunches were as good as platinum. The Captain looked seriously conflicted for a moment, then visibly reminded himself that Hwa was the best there was and Jack and the other girls not exactly helpless - and besides he had his own troubles. "Sure, take whatever you want."

Sue tucked the flash-bangs into the hidden pockets of her bouffant skirts as Jack came in, resplendent in purple velvet cut-away and gold brocade cummerbund. Nyota was radiant on his arm and Hwa stalking grimly behind and all three were loaded for trouble.

Sue couldn't see the pair of gold plated derringers tucked into the cummerbund under Jack's coattails or the fighting knife strapped to his shin but she knew they were there. He was also carrying his rifle stick with the carved ivory handle and silver ferrule. Nyota'd done her hair up high and adorned it with a pair of jewel knobbed pins whose six inch steel tongues made very respectable stilettos and undoubtedly had her garter gun on under her skirt. And Hwa Ling was a walking armory; her short black bob adorned with no less than five jeweled flash-bang 'barrettes', a glittering collar of diamond studded throwing stars around her neck, an apparently ornamental dagger strapped to her visible thigh which was actually a pistol, not to mention all the nasty little surprises tucked away in her evening bag.

"Hear you may be walking in to something," Maxx remarked a little too casually to his employer. "Think you're going to need back up?"

Jack flashed his most devilish grin. "I have all the back-up I need right here." he answered, meaning the girls. "You look out for yourself, Williams. God knows what kind of replacement crew I'd get on this rock."

Maxx returned the grin. "Don't worry, we got it covered." his back was turned so he didn't see Rawhide share an eye roll with Ramona.

Sue didn't blame them. The Captain was smart and mean but he had the damnedest luck . Granted things almost always worked out at the last, but not without some rocky spots along the way. Which, come to think of it, applied just as much to Jack Leland as it did to Maxx Williams.

-----

Inara hadn't intended to accept any of the offers she'd received on Muir. It was a conversation with Margot that had changed her mind.

"So you're leaving Serenity?" the older woman said after taking the first ritual sip of tea.

Inara blinked. "How -?"

"River and I were under the catwalk when you had your little exchange with Captain Reynolds. Would I be wrong in assuming he has something to do with your decision?"

"No." Inara rose abruptly and began to pace the carpeted deck. "I've been very foolish. I've let myself become attached."

"It happens." Margot agreed.

"I didn't realize how bad it'd become until very recently," Inara continued jerkily, hands working. "An old friend of mine, Nandi - she'd left the Guild to run an unlicensed house out here - she needed help, the kind with guns. The night before.... she and Mal.... I shut myself up and bawled my eyes out. I was - I was jealous!" she spat the last word with disgust.

"Well, Little Sister, Companions are human," Margot said calmly. "Training or no. Sometimes we do fall in love."

"I know. I know. The only thing to do is leave."

"Not the only thing," Margot corrected. "But the best thing if you want to go on being a Companion."

Inara came to a dead stop to stare at her. "Of course I want to - I'd never leave the Guild! A Companion is who I am. It's is all I've ever wanted to be."

Margot put down her cup. "A whore takes, a Companion gives," she said didactically. "That is the difference between us. But there comes a time when there's no more to give, when one's own needs become paramount."

Terror welled, nearly choking Inara. "Burnout?" she managed to wheeze after a long moment. Then more strongly. "No! No. Impossible. I'm too young."

"There's no set age, Little Sister."

Burnout. The end of her career. The end of her life. She shook her head fiercely, denying: "I'm not burned out. I love my work. I love it. I've just let myself lose focus, become attached...."

"That's the most likely answer," Margot agreed soothingly.

Inara set the final flower and fruit arrangement in place and stepped back to admire the overall effect of silver and crystal, gilt and colored glass. Her client, Sir Geoffrey BonTriumph, required a hostess for his formal dinner party, an escort for the ball afterwards - and consolation.

"I know when I'm outclassed." he'd told her, smiling wryly. "But one must be sporting - and it's not as if I can't afford to lose another few hundred, but I'm going to need a soft shoulder to cry on afterwards."

She'd given him her best, slow, intimate smile. "I'll do my best to dry your tears, Geoffrey."

He smiled back. "That gives me something to look forward to."

BonTriumph wasn't quite her type but he had humor and charm and Inara was determined to enjoy herself. To prove to the small, fearful doubt niggling at the back of her mind that her work was as fulfilling and pleasurable as it had ever been. That she wasn't burned out, that nothing was wrong with her. Nothing at all...

----

At first glance there seemed to be nobody waiting at the tunnel to the Ser Toh's estate then a section of wall rippled and a body was standing there in baggy gray all over pushing back a sort of hood to show a young face adorned with a pair of heavy rimmed glasses.

Kaylee was impressed, and unlike Jayne not at all shy about showing it. "That a chameleon suit? Gao guhn (seriously awesome)!"

The guy in it blushed to his hairline and looked at Jayne as he answered. "That's right."

The merc snorted a little to show he was not at all impressed. "Could come in handy."

"The name's Joe Henderson, I'm Captain Maxx's mechanic."

"Kaylee Fries, mechanic on Serenity. and this is Jayne." She stuck out a hand.

Joe took it gingerly, still not looking at her, and fished in a pocket for a big and bulky eyeglass case. "These're for you. I got all the specs we'll need uploaded."

"An eyetap?" Kaylee's enthusiasm broke new ground. " Oh my God, wu bu shinwo dah yan jing ! (I don't believe my eyes). How jing chai ku (brilliant cool)! I've seen these things on the cortex but I never thought I'd hold a pair in my hands!"

That made him look at her, even smile.

Jayne grunted. "Lot of fancy equipment you got."

"Cap'n Maxx has got connections," Joe said almost apologetically.

"Well if your'n finished with the gift givin' let's get on with it," said Jayne.

-----

The rest of the two crews rendevoused at one of the locks giving out onto the still unlivable surface. Mal Reynolds wasn't all that impressed with the chameleon suits, too bulky and constricting for his taste, but he looked on the Ace's and Eight's crew's hover mule with more than a glint o' green in his eye.

"You remember Zoe," he said as he and Williams shared a shake. "And this here's her husband Hoban Washburn, who'll do the driving."

Wash, delighted at being included in a job for a change, beamed impartially upon all and sundry.

Maxx Williams nodded greeting and hooked a casual thumb back at his own crew; "Nice to meet you, Hoban. Tall one's Rawhide and the little one's Devil - watch out for her."

Mal pulled his breathing mask into place and peered through the thick goggles at his fellow captain. "Shall we dance?"

Maxx grinned broadly. "My pleasure, Reynolds."

The surface outside the dome was broken and rocky and floating mist reduced visibility some but instruments showed them the way to go. The lesser dome of the Ser Toh's estate was little more than a Klick away as the mule drove but as they crested the ridge and got their first look at their target both Wash and Rawhide hit the brakes without needing any order. The little dome was busy as a boiling pot with fliers issuing from three or four different locks.

"Well that gwai ma jeow (throws a monkey wrench)," said Maxx through his filter.

Mal sighed. "How w'rin bu lai whai w'rin bu jwo (Good Luck don't come, Bad Luck don't leave)."


	10. Then It Got Worse

"Two bamboo, two bamboo!" River sang. "That's another point for me."

"Aha, and there's the green dragon I've been looking for." Margot snatched the tile uncovered by River's bamboo and matched it. "Tied again!"

River pouted. One small hand crept spider like along the 'turtle' of mahjong tiles as her eyes searched, suddenly she turned her head sharply towards the aft corridor. "They're back."

Margot frowned. "And much too soon."

River rolled her eyes. "Things never go smooth."

There was a clatter of boots on metal steps and Mal Reynolds came through the aft hatch with Maxx Williams right after him, both wearing looks of disgruntlement.

"Soh Ya Feh Tian (Foiled again)?" River asked sympathetically.

"You could say that, lil' girl -" Mal began, and was interrupted by Maxx.

He was staring at Margot like she was a bloody sheeted specter. "Duchess?"

"Hello, Captain Williams," she replied calmly, voice shifting back to the clipped, high class accent she usually didn't bother with.

His mouth worked a moment before more words came; "Where's Django?"

"Contrary to common belief we are not joined at the hip," she replied crisply. "He's about his business, I'm about mine."

Mal had been looking back and forth between them, the stonkered expression on his face uncannily mirroring the one on Maxx's. "Django?" he repeated, an octave or two higher than normal. To Maxx; "She's the Duchess?" To Margot; "You're the Duchess, Django's Duchess?"

"I don't believe I care for the possessive case," she answered dryly. "And I'm quite sure Django wouldn't."

"What're you doing on my boat?" Mal demanded.

"Exactly what I was about to ask," said Maxx.

"She said she wanted to go to Athens, she said she was a fellow of the Athenaeum!" Mal explained.

"I am," said Margot.

Mal pointed rudely at Maxx. "He says you're the Duchess!"

"She is!" said Maxx.

"That's right," Margot said patiently. "I've been a lot of people, Captain Reynolds, you know that."

"Is a lot of people," River muttered, mostly to herself.

"Mal!" Zoe's voice echoed urgently down the aft hall, "Mal, get down here!"

"Cap'n? Cap'n Maxx, where are you?" another, unfamiliar voice chimed in with a note of panic that got the two Captains hurtling out galley the door and down the steps to passenger country with Margot and River close behind.

The lounge was crowded with the members of both crews and all of them seemed to be talking at once. Suddenly Maxx Williams found himself with an armful of tearful girl in crushed and stained satin. "They got Jack." Sue sobbed. "They got Jack and maybe killed Hwa. You gotta do something Captain!"

"Where's Nyota?" he asked urgently, stomach plummeting. Was there no end to this night's disasters?

"In there." Sue detached an arm to wave towards a pair of glass doors, any view through same being thoroughly blocked by Rawhide and Joe. Maxx insinuated himself between them looking into a shiny white, surprisingly well equipped infirmary. Nyota was sitting on a stool with Devil applying a dressing to her right arm and shoulder. Hwa was lying on the examining table with a kid Maxx didn't know bending over her.

The boy straightened up, he couldn't have been a day older than Joe if that. His eye fixed on Devil and his voice came clear if somewhat filtered through the mikes. "You a doctor?"

"That's right," she answered without looking.

"Leave her. I need another pair of hands here." Devil opened her mouth but before she could protest the boy continued; "Zoe? Zoe, get in here and see to the minor casualty."

Maxx heard Nyota tell Devil she'd be all right, then Reynold's second was saying, "Excuse me, Captain Williams," and slipping between the doors to take over bandaging the Companion while Devil and the kid donned masks and gloves.

"Simon's a good doc, Core trained," Malcolm Reynolds said from behind Maxx. He turned to see the man had Sue on one side and a beautiful stranger in the bloodstained remnants of a fancy evening dress other. "According to Inara here, her party didn't go quite as planned neither."

...

Sue dropped her champagne glass and dropped to the floor at the first gunshot, pulling out her little derringer with one hand and fishing out a clutch of flash-bangs with the other. All around her people were screaming and running in panic or taking cover and pulling a weapon, thus neatly indicating who was Core and who Rim as well as who was like to die and who to live.

Sue might be Core born but she'd spent three years on wild and woolly Gold Rush - and four months with Jack Leland. She used up her two shots plugging one masked, black clad invader square in the chest and getting another in the leg then threw her flash-bangs and scuttled under cover of the light and noise towards the card room where she'd left Jack, Nyota and Hwa.

The door was now a gaping black hole in the damask hung wall. Sue pulled her knife and dove through, impacting and stabbing another black clad man firing into a smoky darkness barely lit by red emergency light. One of his comrades grabbed her and got slashed then she was loose and inside, crouching behind an overturned table and trying to spot her employer.

She heard the unmistakable retort of his stick-rifle. "Jack! Jack, where are you?"

"Sue?" his voice came out of the gun-smoke and shadows. "Do you have cover?"

"Yes!" she shouted back, trying and failing to spot him.

"Then stay where you are!"

"All right." She felt in her pocket for more flash-bangs, blessing the impulse that had led her to load up. But before she could throw there was a flash and a crash followed, while she was still blinking afterimage out of her eyes, by a crack and a groan, then a scream. Disregarding orders she jumped up and ran towards the sounds, tripped over a supine body and fell, landing on her hands and knees in a sticky pool of warm blood.

...

Inara had been sitting beside her client, Sir Bontriumph, when all hell broke loose. He shoved her down and under the game table, covering her with his body as he pulled his gun. Jack Leland and his women were down there as well, the man with his fancy walking stick leveled towards the door. The Chinese lady had pulled a handful of diamond studded star shaped pendants off her necklace with one hand and pulled her garter dagger with the other and was holding it like a gun. Nyota, startlingly, also had a gun in one small hand, and a hair-pin stiletto in the other, with elflocks falling from her formerly elegant up-do. Since Companions never go to a client armed, (what was Nyota thinking?) Inara herself was barehanded - though not exactly helpless.

The door-wall blew in, powdering the room with fragments of plasterboard and damask as black clad men charged inside through the dust to be mowed down by concentrated fire from rifle-stick, dagger-gun, Bontriumph's repeater and Nyota's tiny revolver. Those behind them took warning and cover, shooting out the lamps and plunging them all into red tinted darkness.

"Hwa," Jack said, "please tell me these aren't your guys."

"They're not - we're smarter than this," his bodyguard answered.

"And yours would be wearing uniforms, Jack," Nyota reminded him.

"So they would." Somebody out there twitched and Jack snapped off another shot. "Any idea who these reubens are, Bontriumph?"

"Not a clue," the other man answered. "Damned odd actually, on this planet the underworld pretty much confines its violence to its own."

"I think we may be looking at a change in policy," Inara contributed.

Jack glanced at her, fished under his tails and handed her a derringer, "If it isn't against your principles, Miss Sera."

"Not at all," Inara assured him, searching the smoke for targets.

Shapes moved against the light from the outer room and fell before another barrage of fire, either hit or taking cover. There was some disturbance or struggle and Jack fired again. His young companion's voice came out of the smoke and confusion:

"Jack! Jack, where are you?"

"Sue?" he called back. "Do you have cover?"

"Yes!"

"Then stay where you are!"

Hwa turned her head sharply, "Jack -" and the wall behind them blew up.

Blinded and choking Inara kicked and punched at enemies she couldn't see, heard a sharp crack and a man's groan - then Nyota screamed:

"Hwa, Hwa!"

...

Inara clenched her hands tightly in her lap to still their trembling. "Somebody brought lamps from the main room. Sir Bontriumph, Mr. Leland and half a dozen other leading citizens were missing, people were wounded, Miss Hwa -"

"There was blood everywhere, Cap'n Maxx," Sue broke in shakily. "All over the floor, all over me..." she looked down at her stained dress in horror.

"So I see," said Mal Reynolds. "Maybe you can help with that, Inara?"

"Of course." The Companion visibly pulled herself together. "Come with me, Sue, my shuttle is this way." She led the girl through the crowd, collecting a bandaged Nyota on the way to the cargo bay.

Mal and Maxx were left sitting on the low table facing the corner couch, looking at each other. "This ain't just about guns an' money any more," Maxx said grimly.

"Looks like our 'Ser Toh' wannabe's getting a mite above himself," Mal agreed "We're gonna have to do something about that I guess."

Suddenly River was there, tugging at his sleeve. "Captain, Captain, some up to the cockpit, wave you ought to hear."


End file.
